As part of the company's plan to accelerate the release of new technology, SCIA, a global leader in structural design software that supports the BIM process and member of the Nemetschek Group, has introduced SCIA Engineer 15.2. This is the third release of the company's flagship 3D structural design software. SCIA Engineer 15.2 expands the program's steel and concrete design capabilities with a focus on the United States and provides numerous usability improvements to increase day-to-day productivity.

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SCIA Engineer is an integrated, multi-material structural analysis and design software for all kinds of projects. Its wide range of functionality make it usable for all kinds of projects: design office buildings, industrial plants and bridges, all within the same easy-to-use environment.Highlights of the SCIA Engineer 15.2 release include:Virtual JoistsHistorically, structural engineers have not been able to incorporate joists with realistic physical properties into their building models. As a result, neither joists with non-uniform loading nor joists included in lateral load resisting frames could be defined accurately. The new virtual joist component in SCIA Engineer allows the engineer to incorporate joist member stiffness in the overall model, making the analysis of the building system more accurate. The joist members can be checked and auto-designed and are given a realistic joist designation consistent with expectations from joist manufacturers and the Steel Joists Institute (SJI).Equivalent Lateral ForceFor fast and easily verifiable seismic analysis, SCIA Engineer 15.2 introduced the Equivalent Lateral Force procedure including support for the provisions of EN1998 and ASCE 7. This simplified method is a nice complement to SCIA Engineer's Modal Response Spectra and Pushover capabilities.Extensions for steelwork design to EurocodesInitially introduced in SCIA Engineer 15.0, the design module for composite beams to EN1994 has been greatly extended with: automatic effective width calculation to the code, lateral torsional buckling checks, shear connector design and fire resistance designDesign of steel connections now fully supports beam flanges and webs in compression according to EN 1993-1-8 Article 6.2.6.7 (1-2). Other improvements concern summary output, output for splice connections, and drawing of connections, to name a few.Support for New Materials to IBCMaterials databases have been expanded to include timber and aluminium according to IBC.Users will find a new prestressed tendon library according to standards ASTM A416 and ASTM A910. This development enables users to introduce strand-patterns and tendons in 3D beam and slab geometry while providing the ability to calculate losses.Usability ImprovementsSCIA Engineer 15.2 expands its BIM capabilities with support for Tekla Structures 21.1 and improved IFC interoperability with Allplan Architecture and Allplan Engineering.In SCIA Concrete Section EN 1992-1-1, multiple sets of internal forces can now be inputted. The checks are shown for the combination with the worst effect.Inputs, filtering, and the viewing and exporting of results have been improved in both the Table views and the Engineering Report. In addition, the Engineer Reports offer some nice PDF and MS Excel compatibility improvements.SCIA Engineer 15.2 presents better convergence in the calculation of membrane structures using triangular finite elements.About SCIAEstablished in 1974, SCIA has become one of the world's leading developers of structural design and analysis software that supports the Open BIM process. SCIA Engineer is an integrated, multi-material structural analysis and design software for all kinds of projects. Its wide range of functionality makes it usable for all kinds of projects: design office buildings, industrial plants and bridges, all within the same easy-to-use environment. SCIA is part of the Nemetschek Group - a leading global software provider for the Architecture, Engineering and Construction market (AEC).Name: Nemetschek SCIA EngineerVersion: 2015 version 15.2.99